OLYMPIA, WA – Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind has decided against lethal removal from the Sherman wolf pack territory in northeast Washington, in response to repeated attacks on cattle in Ferry County.

According to a WDFW release, the rationale for not authorizing lethal removal of Sherman pack wolves is as follows:

The agency has documented four confirmed wolf depredation events in the pack territory resulting in one dead and four injured calves since May 15, 2025.  Before the mortality investigation was complete on May 15, the affected livestock producer fatally shot an adult male wolf that was reportedly chasing additional cows.

While the first three depredation events, investigated on May 15, were attributed to the Sherman wolf pack members, there is some ambiguity regarding whether a subsequent depredation event, investigated on May 26, should be attributed to members of the Sherman pack or if it could have been carried out by some other wolves overlapping the area. Evidence from the most recent depredation investigation showed that the attack on the injured calf appeared to have happened approximately seven to ten days earlier. WDFW staff monitored the areas adjoining the pasture where all the depredation events took place and could not find evidence of wolf activity more recent than that timeline.

Trail cameras deployed in close proximity to the pasture have not captured any wolf pictures since the May 15 depredations, and due to the ambiguity over which wolves were involved, Susewind directed staff to continue to gather information to identify the wolves responsible for these depredations.

More than two proactive and responsive non-lethal deterrence measures were implemented by the affected livestock producer, prior to and during these depredation events. They included range riding approximately every other day, additional human presence by the producer’s family and their ranch hands, removing sick and severely injured cattle from the range, using fox lights in the pasture, and livestock carcass sanitation.

The Department documented these deterrents in coordination with the producer. “The proactive and reactive non-lethal deterrence measures implemented by the livestock producer were those best suited for their operations in the professional judgment of WDFW staff. Lethal removal may be considered again if another depredation occurs,” says a WDFW press release.